Winter's Solitude
by MisterP
Summary: Always by herself during the cold holidays, Anabel feels her own heart breaking into two. A visit from a special someone may melt the winter that had isolated her for so long. Christmas AbilityShipping One-Shot, AshxAnabel, SatoLila


**Here is a gift from me that keeps on giving. It is not much, but I hope it can make your holidays more enjoyable. So always remember to celebrate with your family and friends, and hope Santa Claus comes early… Ah ha ha…**

**So now, please enjoy and Merry Christmas!**

**

* * *

**She stared out her window, heavily snowing the pure white rain outside her home. Snow rarely came to her section of the region she lived in, due to her location being close to the south. But whenever it did snow around Tohjo Falls, she would enjoy and make the most out of the winter situation. She did not mind for her home to receive snow; in fact, her mind and soul was as immaculate as the natural, falling, frozen droplets themselves. Aside from that, the snow was the only thing that took her mind off something that had been eating away inside her for a long time now.

_Quite a heavy snowstorm I have now,_ she thought, lost in the blankness of the mesmerizing snowflakes of the evening. Approaching her from around a chair was her favorite Pokémon, Espeon.

"Es-peon," her Espeon mewled, affectionately purring on her leg. The Espeon received a soft pat on the head in return.

"It looks like it's just us and the rest of the Pokémon here for another winter snowstorm… again," she said; her voice sounding familiarly despondent.

"Esp?" Espeon asked its Trainer, Salon Maiden Anabel. The one unique quality that Anabel had that not many people did not was that she can communicate with any Pokémon on an empathetic level. She can even communicate telepathically to the minds of other Pokémon. Many consider them as a few of her special psychic abilities.

"You know what I mean, dear friend," Anabel sighed. "Every year since I became a part of the Battle Frontier, I'm always by myself here in this place. I'm the only human miles away from civilization here."

"Espe?" Espeon asked again.

"I do like spending my time with you guys and the wild Pokémon from the nearby forest, but just once I'd like to spend time with another, especially if it was _him_," Anabel said, exhaling softly.

A certain someone had lingered in her mind for some time, developing from a small crush to a longing desire to see his bright, cheery face once more. She could recall his jubilant laughter, his kind, playful attitude towards Pokémon, and his honest resolve in winning a difficult Pokémon battle.

"Pe-e," Espeon sighed.

"My family can't come and visit because the snow is too much to handle here right now," Anabel said. "Plus, they've got their own inclement weather to handle back home whenever there's no snowstorm here in Kanto."

"Esp Espeon Esp," Espeon said, reasoning with its Trainer. Anabel sighed tenderly again, seeing the conversation with Espeon becoming pointless.

"It looks like someone just doesn't like me up there," Anabel sighed, walking to her fireplace, barely lit.

Anabel threw in more firewood she had gathered before the snowstorm had taken place, allowing the fire to grow back to regular size. Anabel relaxed in a comfortable chair, hoping that the softness would drag her mind into a world of long, peace slumber. Her loneliness from humans was never a problem before, but ever since she met _him_, she made attempts to grow out of her shell of shyness and timidity, wanting to confide herself in another human she can relate to. She never had problems with interacting with Pokémon; it was just that the same could not be exactly said for a large group of people. But she knew that _he_ befriend many Pokémon and human alike throughout his journey.

"Pe-e," Espeon sighed, hating the fact that Anabel had acted this way every winter season that no one came around her area. "Esp?" The red gem on Espeon's forehead reacted. The Sun Pokémon sensed something from outside.

"Hmm? Something wrong?" Anabel asked, noticing her Espeon trying to get out the front door.

"Pe! Espeon!" Espeon exclaimed. Anabel looked concern, having heard her Espeon tell her that there was something going on outside aside from the snowstorm.

"Trouble?" Anabel asked, putting on the proper attire to protect her body from the coldness outside. She found her thick fluffy coat; the color matched her lavender hair. She also put on a white scarf and mittens. She wore on brown boots, tying the left one before reaching the door.

"Es-pe," Espeon mewled, observing Anabel unlock the door to the blustering frigidness.

"Let's go!" she commanded, heading out into the fierce winter storm with her Pokémon.

* * *

"Espeon, can you sense what we are looking for?" Anabel asked, protecting her face from the restless snowflakes bombarding her home. They had already gone pass a few meters away from their house.

Espeon focused its power, finding it difficult to find out what they were looking for due to the snowstorm's unpredictable shifts in wind. The Sun Pokémon was also cold from exposure to the outside, having nothing but the soft purple fur on its body. The red gem on its forehead went off. It sensed a distressed call for help.

"Pi… ka…"

"Esp?"

"Espeon, did you find something?" Anabel asked, noticing Espeon's reaction.

"Es-pe!" Espeon shouted, running further into the blizzard. Anabel ran after it, feeling her feet almost being swallowed up by the three-inched snow.

"Pi… ka!" the cry shouted again. Espeon honed in on it, discovering the source of the cry to be from a stray Pikachu. It shivered and was in distress, looking and searching for something in vain. Espeon approached the Pikachu, to which the latter was half relived.

"Pe-e?" Espeon asked the Pikachu.

"Pika, Pikapi Pikachu," Pikachu explained, pantomiming the awful situation it got itself into. "Pika Pi! Pikachu! Chu! Chu!"

The Mouse Pokémon showed to Espeon on how it and its Trainer came from another region to visit home, but they were caught in the unforgiving blizzard. Pikachu revealed that it had lost its Trainer somewhere in the snowstorm. The two Pokémon saw Anabel catching to them, shivering with her arms wrapped around her body.

"Hey, guys, did you find—Oof!" Anabel yelped, having tripped over something large and buried under the snow. She crawled to her side, examining the snow covered lump. She, Espeon, and Pikachu unearthed it, revealing a young boy roughly her age. "Oh, my!"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu exclaimed. Anabel suddenly froze, having heard Pikachu yell out the name of its discovered Trainer. Her psychic abilities made Pikachu's speech clear, but she wanted to see proof before believing it.

"Did you just say—?"

"Pika! Pikapi Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted, insisting that they went someplace warmer to recover.

"Uh, yes! Right away!" Anabel exclaimed, taking the young man's arm over her shoulder.

* * *

"… Hey…! You… awake… yet?" a distant voice asked. He stirred, opening his eyes to see an entirely new environment. Unlike standing in the harsh blizzard of this winter, he was inside someone's home and wrapped in a think blanket.

"Hmm? What?" he said. He felt a throbbing pain pounding in his head. He looked up and noticed a young woman his age standing near him, accompanied by an Espeon.

"Whew, you're alright then," she sighed, placing her hand on his forehead. "Well, your temperature is fine, Ash. Thank goodness, too. I've been very worried about you."

"Huh? H-How do you know my name?" Ash asked, still feeling weak from his awakening.

"Don't you remember me?" she asked, faking hurt sadness. "It's me, Anabel! I'm the Frontier Brain in charge of the Battle Tower." The name stuck out to him, allowing him to recover his memories from traveling in Kanto with his friends and competing in the Battle Frontier challenge while his friend, May, competed in the Kanto Grand Festival.

"Anabel? You saved me?" Ash asked, understanding his current situation. Anabel smiled, feeling his forehead again to measure his heat.

"Are you going to keep asking questions or are you going to rest?" she asked playfully.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu exclaimed, having discovered its recovering Trainer. The Mouse Pokémon jumped up to his lap and received a gentle stroke from Ash.

"Hey there, buddy," Ash said, scratching behind Pikachu's ears.

"Oh, yeah! Your Pokémon are also recovering from their cold ordeals," Anabel said, pointing out the large group of sleeping Pokémon curled together at a corner. Chimchar, Buizel, Staravia, and Gliscor were resting peaceful around Grotle. "Pikachu wanted to stay by your side until you woke up."

"Oh, is that so," Ash said, making an attempt to stand up. Anabel rushed to him; her hands on his chest stopped him from continuing.

"Please, don't push yourself," she said, gesturing him to sit back down. Ash reluctantly did what she wanted.

"How's the snow outside right now, Anabel?" Ash asked, watching the snowfall becoming heavier with every passing minute.

"Weather report says that it should stop around midnight," Anabel clarified, taking a seat next to him.

"Bummer, so I hope you won't mind the extra company since I have no place to go while this blizzard goes on," Ash said. Anabel beamed slightly, expecting to hear him acknowledge the fact at the very least.

"Not at all, Ash; you're welcome to stay as long as you like," she said, genuinely smiling for him. Grateful for her warm hospital and amiability, Ash grinned back and nodded. "Anyway, what brought you by Tohjo Falls?"

"Since the holidays were approaching and my friends and I kind of felt homesick, we figured that we'd split up and reunite back in Sinnoh after the holidays were over to resume our journey," Ash explained. "So Dawn, my new traveling friend, is spending time with her mom back at Twinleaf Town and Brock should be in Pewter City by now, having taken a separate path that did not lead to this blizzard."

"Is your mother worried?" Anabel asked.

"She's says she always worried about me, but she trusts me that I can fully take care of myself," Ash replied. "I was really looking forward to see her again, along with Professor Oak, Tracey, and the rest of my Pokémon."

"Oh… that's just great," Anabel said; her voice broke at the end, but she managed to contain herself. _Even Ash has a family and friends to visit to, whether it's just his mother or even the professor. I'm trapped as I've always been…_

"Something wrong, Anabel?" Ash asked, having caught a brief change of emotion in her voice.

"H-huh?"

"You sounded, I think, upset when you commented about my going home."

"Uh… Um, it's nothing, Ash."

Ash remained skeptic, somehow knowing that Anabel was hiding more feelings. She was as difficult as he was in an argument, hard to break open and examine the contents within. Pikachu left his lap, joining Espeon in a separate corner near the fireplace while he reflected on finding a way to get her to willingly speak her true mind.

"I'm not easily convinced, Anabel," Ash said. If there was ever a time Ash was serious outside a Pokémon battle, this moment would be considered as one of the few.

"It shouldn't concern you, Ash," Anabel said darkly, standing out of her seat with her back towards him. "What would trivial problems like mine be of use to you?"

"What?" Ash asked, not understanding her last sentence.

"Just… stay and relax for the night," she said, promptly walking into another room.

"But…"

"Stay! _Please_ stay!"

Ash was confused, frightened, and concerned. He knew her full well since the day he met her. To him, she was a young girl who can get along with as many Pokémon she wanted. She seemed so sweet and kind while acting as a powerful opponent on the battlefield at the same time. From all of his experiences traveling and meeting different personalities all the way, hers was one of the few that stuck out to him. He knew what must be done, just to relieve himself of any tension he might have accidentally caused. The holidays were a time of peace and love. Her current attitude was something he felt he had to mend himself.

* * *

"Hello?" Ash asked, sticking his head through a door into a dark room. The room itself was barely lit by small traces of moonlight. The snowflakes were illuminated through the window. He found Anabel curled by the window, pensively gazing the falling snowflakes.

"What is it?" she asked, not turning around to face him.

"I'm sorry if I did something to offend you," Ash said, approaching to her location gingerly.

"Ash, it wasn't you, it was me," she replied. Ash stepped in closer. "_I'm_ the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have taken out any anger on you, of all people. You never deserved this. You deserve better than what I can offer to you."

"What's wrong with you?" Ash asked, sensing a multitude of negative emotions from her heart. Embarrassment, loneliness, shyness, and frustration at herself were kept tightly within her own heart. This was not Anabel he was talking to, but a mere façade that was meant to push him away like all the others.

"I like you, Ash," Anabel said, slowly turning her head to face him. "But I've been a bad hostess to you. Now I suppose you want to leave me alone now"

"You did nothing wrong to me, Anabel," he retorted, assuring her that he was not affected by her earlier outburst.

"You're wrong!" she shouted, uncurling from her position and standing up. For some reason, she wanted to tell him the truth on what she truly felt, but she was also preventing herself from opening up.

"Anabel, if there was a time for you to get something out of your chest, say it now," Ash said, gritting his teeth from the uncertainty. Considering that he saw a side he had never seen in Anabel, anything was possible. So many unusual things he had to face, he was prepared for the worse. Of course, he never wanted the worse to come anyway.

"I just have one thing, Ash," Anabel said calmly, holding up her index finger. "One thing and nothing more…"

"Bring it," Ash demanded.

Anabel, without hesitation and anything else left to lose but her own sanity, ran up to him and seized his body with her arms. Ash stiffened, completely unsure on what she was about to do to him. In the peak of her unleashed passion, Anabel brought Ash's head close to hers and pressed his lips onto her soft lips.

All her sadness and all her love melded into one kiss that explained her behavior, her sudden change in moods. Ash always knew that she was happy for him and was willing to provide him any comfort he needed. However, he had learned that there was about no one to give her the same. Anabel broke away after ten long seconds, holding his head in her hands.

"I don't want to be alone anymore," she cried, slowly tearing from her heart and her lavender eyes. Ash held her close to him, willing to share the burden of her despair.

"You're not alone now, are you?" Ash asked in quiet optimism. Anabel shook her head and snuggled closer into his chest, hearing his increasing heartbeat. "I thought so. Thanks for giving me a place to stay, Anabel."

"Thank _you_ for breaking my winter's solitude," Anabel whispered.

She no longer felt empty inside, having felt Ash accepting her heart into his. No one else had gotten as emotionally intimate as she had to him. He learned empathy through the trials his Pokémon suffered through and that, along with his own charm, unlocked Anabel's heart. So for this winter, she no longer repressed cold, bitter seclusion in her self. She will always think of _him_ at every passing season as he made it a point to come back for _her_ at any moment he would finished his journey and become a Pokémon Master.

* * *

**Simplicity is often the best gift to give and receive in Christmas. This world today is so focused on material possessions that most people have lost sight of what was the true meaning of Christmas. As a Christian, I keep the Christ in Christmas time. Forgive me for sounding mushy, but I was raised to be morally straight and that there's not much I want for Christmas. I have everything I wanted, from video games to clothes. I just want to spend time with my family and friends and relax in peace.**

**And I hope you all enjoy your holidays with your loved ones as well… or how ever you enjoy your holidays as.**

**So please give me the gift of your feedback to feel the fullness of yuletide joy.**

**And Merry Christmas once again!**

**Ciao!**


End file.
